Lock for grave-vaults.



O. L. JOHNSON.

LOOK FOR GRAVE VAULTS.

'APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 20, 1914.

1,1 31,522. Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

, 3 Charles ll Johnsom THE NORRIS PETEms CO FHOTC-LITHQ. WASHINGTQN. D. C,

III TITEE STATEg PATENT @FFIQE.

CHARLES LESTER JOHNSON, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CHAMPION CHEMICAL COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

LOOK FOR GRAVE-VAULTS.

Specification of "Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915..

which is placed upon the base about the casket and locked to the base. In vaults of this type it has been customary to provide a locking device which will automatically engage the locking portion of the closure when the latter has been placed in position on the base and will prevent the removal of this closure. These devices commonly comprise resilient detents placed upon the base and having inclined portions to be engaged by the closure as it is placed in position. These devices, however, are open to objection because if they are so constructed as to hold the closure snugly in position on the base and to prevent lost motion they become inoperative if for any reason the closure does not assume its proper position relative to the base. Thus, if pebbles or dirt should accumulate on the base and should prevent the closure being moved down to its proper position it would be impossible to lock the closure in position. Consequently, it has been the practice to so arrange these detents that they would allow for a considerable variation in the position of the closure relative to the base. This avoided the inconvenience and trouble occasioned by the inability to move the closure to its lowermost position but it also permitted of a very considerable amount of play or lost motion between the closure and the base when these parts were locked together; and further, it permitted the closure to be moved so far from the base as to enable an implement, such as crowbar, to be inserted between the two parts in an effort to break the lock and open the vault.

The object of the present invention is to provide a lock which will automatically engage the locking portion of the closure to secure the closure to the base and which will be so constructed and arranged that it will coiiperate with the closure in any one of a plurality of positions of the latter, thereby locking the closure firmly to the base and preventing any material motion between the parts either when the closure rests snugly upon the base or when it is spaced some distance away from the base, due to dirt, pebbles or the like having entered the space between the closure and the base.

A further object of the invention is to provide a locking device which will be of a very powerful construction and when in its locking position will form a very rigid connection between the closure and the base; and it is also an object of the invention to provide means for locking such a closure in its inoperative position to permit the closure to be placed temporarily in position for the purpose of shipping or storage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lock of this kind which will not only be very strong and durable but which will be of such a simple construction that it can be produced at a low cost and will not have any parts likely to become disarranged to prevent the operation thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a transverse sectional view showing in perspective a portion of a vault embodying my invention; and Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sectional views of a portion of a vault showing the locking device in difierent operative positions.

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of the invention and have shown the same as applied to a well known type of vault which comprises a base 1 having a raised portion to form a support for the casket and having laterally extending portions or flanges 2 which form a support for the vault as a whole and are adapted to receive the lower edges of the side walls of the body portion, which constitutes the closure 2 for the vault. These side portions have their lower ends turned inward to form flanges 3 which constitute locking portions and rest upon the flanges 2 of the base. In the form of the device here shown the outer ends of the flanges 2 are curved upwardly, as shown at 4, to form a seat and the closure is curved at its lower corners to fit snugly in the seat thus formed. It will be understood, however, that'the invention is not limited to grave vaults of this type, but is applicable to structures comprising separable parts of this general character regardless of the exact construction or shape of the parts or the use to which the structure is to be put. Further, it will be understood that the terms base and closure, as herein employed, are intended not only to include the parts which, in the present form of the vault, constitute the base and the closure but are intended to include the cooperating parts of such a structure regardless of their shape or construction.

To securely lock together the two members of the structure when they have been placed in their cooperating positions I have provided a locking device which is carried by one of the members and is of such a character that it will operatively engage a locking portion of the other member of the structure in various positions which that member of the structure may assume relatively to the firstunentioned member. This locking device is preferably yieldable so that it will permit the assembling of the two members and will then automatically move into operative position. In the present instance this locking device comprises a detent 5 which is pivotally mounted on the base so that it will swing toward and away from the central or raised portion 1 of the base. To this end the base is provided with a lug 6 rigidly secured thereto and the detent 5 is connected to this lug by means of a horizontal pivot pin '7 extending lengthwise of the structure. As will be noted this pivot pin is of a very strong, durable character and the lug and detent are both of heavy metal so that the structure as a whole is very powerful and when in its locking position will offer great resistance to any attempt to separate the two parts of the structure. The detent is yieldably mounted and is held normally in its outermost position by means of a spring 8 which is coiled about the pivot pin 7 and has one end connected with the lug 6 and has its other end extending into a slot 9 in the inner face of the detent 5. This spring may be of any suitable character but the present arrangement is such as to securely hold the spring in position and to so inclose the same that it is not liable to become disarranged. The detent is adapted to cooperate with the locking portion 3 of the closure. This locking portion is preferably provided with an upwardly extending flange 10 which reinforces and stiil'ens the flange or locking portion 3 and constitutes the part which is directly engaged by the detent. The operative portion or nose of the detent is of considerable width and is so shaped that any one of a plurality of portions thereof may operatively engage the locking portion of the closure. Owing to the arrangement of the detent the successive operative portions thereof are each located greater distances from the flange 2 of the base than the preceding portions thereof. In the present device the detent is provided with teeth, as shown at 11, and these teeth constitute the operative portions or surfaces of the detent. As will be noted in Figs. 2 and 3 one of the operative portions of the detent is so arranged that it will engage the locking portion of the closure when the latter is in its normal position, that is, when it rests upon the flange 2 of the base. if the locking portion of the closure does not rest upon the base but rests upon pebbles or dirt which are interposed between it and the base, it will be engaged by another tooth or operative portion of the detent. In either in stance the locking portion will be retained close to the base and will have no appreciable play or lost motion relatively to the base.

It will be noted that the lug 6 which carries the detent 5 is of such a width that it w'll permit the locking portion or flange 3 of the closure to move into its normal position and further that this lug is so shaped that it serves as a guide to facilitate the placing of the closure in position. To this end the upper edge of the lug is curved, as shown, so that there is no part of it which will form a rest for the lower edge of the closure. On the contrary when the closure engages any portion of the lug it will of its own accord move along the inclined edge thereof to its proper position. The detent also has its upper portion curved so that when engaged by the descending lower edge of the closure it will be forced back against the tension of the spring 8 to permit the closure to assume its proper position relative to the base. As soon as the upper edge of the flange 10 forming part of the locking portion of the closure has passed the uppermost operative portion of the detent the detent will begin to move outward and will continue to so move until the closure has reached its final position, in which position the upper edge of the flange 10 will be in operative engagement with one of the operative por tions of the detent and will be held positively against movement away from the base. The detent is preferably provided with a heel 12 which positively limits the movement of the detent in one direction, that is, the direction in which it is moved by the spring 8, and by thus limiting, the movement of the detent accomplishes two results, first, it. retains the detent in such a position that it will be properly engaged by the closure when the latter is placed on the base, and second, it limits the pivotal movement of the detent when the latter is in looking engagement with the closure, thus preventing the detent exerting an outward thrust on the lower portion of the closure should an upward parts of said nose into operative relation thrust be exerted on the closure itself.

Suitable means are-also provided for looking the detent in an inoperative position, that is, in a position which will permit the closure to be removed from the base after it has been placed in position thereon, which is desirable in order to facilitate the ship ping and storage of the vaults. As here shown the detent and lug 6 are provided with apertures 13 and 1% adapted to be moved into alinement one with the other when the detent is moved into its inoperative position and to receive a pin 15 which will hold the detent in this position.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention it will be understood that this has been chosen for the purposes of illustration only and that I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a base, and a closure, one of said members having a locking portion, of a locking device carried by the other of said members and having lateral movement into a plurality of difierent locking positions relatively to the member by which it is carried to enable it to (306perate with the locking portion of the firstmentioned member when the latter is in dif ferent positions relatively to the member carr ing said locking device.

2. The combination, with a base, and a closure, one of said members having a looking portion, of a locking device yieldably mounted on the other of said members and having movement into a plurality of diiierent operative positions relative to the member upon which it is mounted to enable it to cooperate with said locking portion when the latter is in different positions relative to the member carrying said locking device.

3. The combination, with a base, and a closure, one of said members having a locking portion, of a detent movably mounted on the other of said members and having a locking portion extending transversely to, and arranged for movement across the path of, the first-mentioned locking portion, the locking portion of said detent having difi'erout parts arranged to be moved successively into operative relation with the locking portion of said first-mentioned member.

4. The combination, with a base, and a closure, one of said members having a looking portion, of a detent pivotally mounted near one end on the other of said members and having at its other end a nose arranged to move transversely to and across the path of said locking portion to bring difierent thereto.

5. The combination, with a base, and a closure, one of said members having a locking portion, of a detent pivotally mounted at one end on the other of said members and having a plurality of teeth arranged in a line remote from and extending transversely to its axis, any one of which teeth may be moved into operative relation'to s: i" locking portion by the pivotal movement of said detent, the operative position of each tooth being spaced a dilierent distance from the member carrying said detent.

6. The combination, with a base, and a closure, one of said members having a looking portion, of a detent pivotally mounted near one end on the other of said members and having at its other end a nose arranged to move transversely to said locking portion to bring different parts of said nose into operative relation to said locking portion, and means to positively limit the movement of said detent in one direction.

7. The combination, with a base, and a closure, one of said members having a looking portion, of a detent pivotally mounted on the other of said members and having a part movable across the path of said locking portion and provided with a plurality of portions arranged to be brought successively into operative relation with said locking portion by the pivotal movement of said detent.

8. The combination, with a base, and a closure, one of said members having a looking portion, of a detent pivotally mounted on the other of said members and having a part movable across the path of said look ing portion and provided with a plurality of portions arranged to be brought successively into operative relation with said loci:- ing portion by the pivotal movement of said detent, and means to limit the movement of said detent in one direction.

9. The combination, with a base, and a closure, one of said members having a looking portion, of a detent pivotally mounted on the other of said members and having a part movable across the path of said loci-ring portion and provided with a plurality of portions arranged to be brought successively into operative relation with said locking portion by the pivotal movement of said detent, a spring tending to move said portions into their operative positions, and means to limit the movement of said detent under the influence of said spring.

10. The combination, with a base, and a closure, one of said members having a looking portion, of a detent pivotally mounted on the other of said members and having a part movable across the path of said looking portion and provided with a plurality of portions arranged to be brought successively into operative relation with said locking portion by the pivotal movement of said detent, a spring tending to move said portions into their operative positions, and means to retain said detent in an inoperative position against the tension of said spring.

11. The combination with a base, and a closure having a locking portion, of a detent yieldably mounted on said base for movement transversely to the path of the locking portion of said closure, extending normally into said path as the closure is moved toward its closed position on said base and having a plurality of parts arranged in a line extending transversely to the path of said locking portion of said closure and spaced different distances from said base, whereby said detent will yield to permit said closure to be placed in position and any one of said parts may be moved into operative relation with said locking portion of said closure when the latter has been moved past said detent.

12. The combination, with a base having a lug projecting from one side thereof, a closure having a locking portion arranged to occupy a position close to said lug, when said closure is in position on said base, of a detent pivotally mounted on said lug and having a wide nose arranged to move transversely to the locking portion of said closure to bring a plurality of parts thereof successively into operative relation with said locking portion of said closure.

13. The combination, with a base having a lug projecting from one side thereof, and a closure having a locking portion arranged to occupy a position close to said lug when said closure is in position on said base, of a detent pivotally mounted on said lug and having a wide nose arranged to move transversely to the locking portion of said closure to bring any one of a plurality of difierent parts thereof into operative relation with said locking portion of said closure, said detent and said lugs having apertures therein, and a pin adapted to enter said apertures to retain said detent in an inoperative position,

14. The combination, with a base having a lug projecting from one side thereof; and a closure having a locking portion arranged to occupy a position close to said lug when said closure is in position on said base, of a detent pivotally mounted on said lug and having a wide nose arranged to movetransversely to the locking portion of said closure to bring any one of a plurality of different parts thereof into operative relation with said locking portion of said closure, said lug and said detent having their upper portions in clined to guide said closure into its position on said base, and a spring tending to hold said detent normally in its operative posi tion.

15. The combination, with a base having a lug projecting from one side thereof, and a closure having a locking portion arranged to occupy a position close to said lug when said closure is in position on said base, of a detent pivotally mounted on said lug and having a wide nose arranged to move transversely to the looking portion of said closure to bring any one of a plurality of difierout parts thereof into operative relation with said locking portion of said closure, and a spring acting on said detent to move the same into its operative position, said detent having a heel arranged to engage said base to limit the movement of said detent in one direction. v

16. The combination, with a base having lug, and a closure having a, locking portion provided with an upturned edge, of a detent pivotally mounted on said lug and having a toothed nose extending transversely to the axis of said detent at a point removed therefrom, the different teeth of said detent being arranged to engage the upturned edge of said locking portion when the latter is in diiierent positions.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES LESTER JOHNSON.

lVitnesses:

ANNETTE A. MCHUGH, CHASE STEWART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

